Separable square.



o. R. ALTWEIN.

SEPARABLE SQUARE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1911.

1,064,953. Patented June 1'?, 1913.

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OSCAR R. ALTVJ'EIN, OF SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSLGNOR TO PECK, STO`W & WILCOX COMPANY, OF SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONn NECTICUT.

SEPARABLE SQUARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 17,1913.

To all whom it 'may concern Be it known that l, @scan lt. iliL'rwnrN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ot' Southington, county ot Hartford, and State ot' Connecticut, have invented a new and useful improvement in tleparable Squares, ot which the following is a specilication, the principle ot the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which l have contemplated applying` that principle, so as to distinguish it troni other inventions.

illy invention relates to separable, or takedown squares, which consist cit two blades, one ot which may be regardetL as the main body portion, the other ot' the blades being adapted to detachably engage therein. The two blades ot my square may be engaged instantly by merely pressing the second blade into the groove on the main blade, where it is securely locked. Disengagement is accomplished by simply pressing a button and withdrawing the second blade.

To the accomplishment the aforesaid and related ends, said invention, then, con-- sists ot the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following` description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however` but` one ot' various mechanical terms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1 is a plan view showing any improved square when the two blades are engaged; Fig. is a plan view ott the main blade, showing` the undercut groove tor the second blade and the projecting rib and aperture in the blade; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the central axis of the locking member; Fig. t is a central section through the aperture in the blade showing the springs adapted to act on the locking member; ig. il .is a section on the line '-llla in 4; Fig. 5 is a section through the grooved blade and engaging second blade; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through the second blade; lFig. Y is a plan view of the second blade; Fig. 8 is a plan section on the line 8-8 in Fig. nl, but omitting to show the butto-n illustrated in the latter gure.

ln Fig. 1 a separable square is shown having a main blade 1 with a recess in the forni of an undercut groove 2 which a second blade is adapted to engage by having one end ther-co1c termed into a tongue 1. When thusl in engagement the two blades are secui-ely locked by a locking member 5, mounted in and reciprocable longitudinally ot an aperture that extends through such iirst blade at substantially riOht angles to the saine.

Tae locking member 5 comprises a disk 6 with an externally beveled flange 7 and undercut head 8, a shank 9 having a pro jection 10 et smaller size than the shank, thereby providing a shoulder 11 against which a second. disk 12 is adapted to be held by upsetting the projection 10, thus securely riveting the independent parts of the locle ino' member together'.

in the main blade 1 adjacent to the undercut groove is an aperture 13 around which is a projecting rib lll and a groove 15 around the rib 111-.

ils will be seen in Fig. 2 the undercut groove extends to the groove 15 and part ot the projecting rib 1d is cut away. This allows the rib lll to receive the complementary rib let on the tongue e around which is the complementary groove 15 adapted to complete the groove 15 on the main blade. Thus, when the two blades are in engagement there is a projecting rib 1d encircling the aperture 13 and surrounded by the groove 15. rEhe inner wall of the groove 15 is slightly beveled to facilitate engagement by he locking member or button.

rlhe locking;- member when engaging the aperture 13 adapted to engage the groove l5 with the flange 7 thus retaining the two parts of the projecting rib 14e within the undercut head S of the disk 6. To provide means for retaining the button over the ribs, the under side of the main blade is cut away into a shallow main recess 15 concentric with the aperture 13. ln this recess two holes or smaller recesses 17 are bored into which helical springs 18 may be insertedwhieh will bear, resiliently against the disk 12 attached to the shank 9, (see Fig. 8). In this way the locking member 5 normally retains the two blades in engagement.

nlhe projecting ribs 14 and 14 are cut away so that they are below the face of the blade and the disk 6 is thin enough through t-he undercut head sov that the locking member is normally flush With the face of the blade on its upper side. The length of the shank and the thickness of the disk 12 ai'e likewise proportioned so that the disk is normally Hush with the under side of the blade.

When the locking member is in the aperture 13 the second blade may be engaged vfith the main blade by engaging the tongue with the undercut groove. The projecting` rib 14 is slightly beveled` (see Fig. (5) and this beveled edge will contact the beveled flange 7 on the button, thus forcing the latter up Without difficulty, until the tongue is completely engaged in the groove 2, when the tivo ribs 14- and 14 will be in their coinple'mentary position, thus permitting the springs 18 to draiv the disk 6 into its locking position over the ribs 14 and 14C To disengage the blades a. slight pressure on the disk will force the disk 6 from off the ribs 14 and 1st and the second blade may then be Withdrawn from the main blade.

From the above description it will be evident that my tivo blades may be engaged or disengaged almost instantly Without the aid of tools. The exact form of aperture or projecting ribs here shoivn may of course be modified in various Ways so long as the locking member operates in substantially the same Way as here shown.

vOther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained change being` made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point ont and distinctly claim as my invention 1 ln a separable square, the combination of two blades adapted to detachably engage each other, one of said blades being provided with an aperture extending through said blade at substantially right angles to the plane of the same, said apertured blade being formed with a main recess on one face surrounding said aperture, and with smaller recesses located Within such first-named main recess on opposite sides of such aperture, a locking member reciprocably mounted in such aperture and having a disk adapted to enter snch Ymain recess, said member being adapted to securelyengage said other blade upon its engagement with said apertured blade, and helical springs disposed in such smaller recesses and adapted to contact said disk and to retain said locking member in such engagement with said other blade.

2. In a separable square the combination of tvvo blades, one of said blades having an undercut groove on one side thereof and an aperture adjacent to one end of such groove,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for said other blade having a tongue adapted to enter said groove, such tongue having a project-ing rib adjacent to the engaging end thereof; and a reciprocable locking member disposed in said aperture and including a disk adapted to engage such projecting rib on said second blade, 'a second disk normally flush with the other side of said firstnamed blade, a shank connecting said two disks, and resilient means adapted to retain said member in its normal position, Whereby said two disks are flush respectively With the two sides of said first named blade.`

3. In a separable square the combination of two blades, one of said blades having an undercut groove on one side thereof and an aperture adjacent to one end of such groove, said other blade having a tongue adapted to enter said groove, such tongue having a projecting rib adjacent to the engaging end thereof; and a reciprocable locking member disposed in said aperture and normally contained Wholly Within said first-named blade, said member comprising a disk adapted to engage such projecting' rib on said other blade, a second disk normally flush with the other side of said first-named blade, a shank connecting said two disks, and a plurality of springs betiveen said first named blade and said second disk adapted to retain said member in its normal position, W iereby said tivo disks are flush respectively with the tivo sides of said first-named blade.

4. In a separable square, the combination of two blades, one of said blades having an undercutgroove on one face, and a circular hole at the inner end of said groove, a projecting rib extending partially around said hole, and a second groove extending around said rib, said other blade having a tongue adapted to engage said first-named groove, a complementary groove and rib adjacent to one end of said tongue, thereby extending said second groove and rib completely around said circular hole, said rib having its inner Wall slightly beveled;l and a locking member disposed in this hole, and comprising a flanged disk adapted with such fiange to encircle said complementary ribs and to ensaid complementary grooves, a shank connected to said disk and extending through said hole, a disk attached to the other end of said 'shank and springs mounted in said rst-named blade and adapted to resiliently press against said last named disk, thereby retaining said locking member in its normal position.

Signed by me this 27 day of July 1911. OSCAR R. ALTVEIN. tttested by- L. C. FICHTHORN, R. G. ANDREWS.

five cents each, by adressng the Commissionero Patents, Washington, D. C. l 

